Equestrian

As we close in on the last week on February I finally have a little break in my blogging schedule to do the boot post I have been thinking about for awhile. Its well known across my family and friends that I have a thing for boots. From booties to cowboy boots, I just have this thing for quality boots. It wasn’t always that way, and believe me when I tell you I did not just go out and drop 1,000 bucks on boots in two weeks. This fall/winter/spring I did a systematic boot turnover. As my less than top quality boots wore out I replaced them with quality boots that I had done a lot of research on and knew would last for years.

Everyone has different needs when it come to a good boot based on where they live and what they do. Here are mine. 🙂

Boots must be leather(REAL LEATHER)- unless they are rubber rain boots

Boots must be waterproof, or have the ability to be treated.

Riding/Tall boots must be wide calf(18 inch calves over here!)

When you invest in good boots you don’t need to buy a new pair every season. Quality boots last years!

Here are my favorites, ones that have the lasting power to stay with me for years to come!

Here are my basic boot must haves- Black riding boot, brown riding boot, black wedge bootie, brown wedge bootie, healed bootie. If you follow Curls and Contours then you know I am a BIG foundation wardrobe fan, I have each of these, so I am always ready for whatever occasion!

So lets get started with some of my favorites! All of which I currently own and wear.

In this photo this boot is 3 years old! I know it looks amazing, I will tell you that with horses I have worn Ariat’s for years. This is my first “Fashion” boot from Ariat, and it does not disappoint. This boot meets all my needs (listed above) and it always looks great. I love Ariat’s for riding, and they are great as a casual boot. These fit my wide calves and are comfortable to wear ALL day. I wear my brown boots the most in the fall, but with these being waterproof I can break them out all winter long.

These are my first pair of Hunter boots. because my calves are so wide I can’t wear the regular Hunter boots, or the “Wide calf” Huntress boots. The short boots work great, I just wish that they didn’t turn white so quickly. You buy them, and they are that glossy beautiful boot you have read so much about. And within 3 weeks they have that white film covering them. I scoured Pinterest for ways to turn them black again, I tried the olive oil trick and never boxing them trick. But they are still that frosty white color. I find myself passing them up when it rains for a waterproof leather pair because these ones need constant up keep.

These boots were SO FREAKING HARD TO FIND, the duck boot trend is here in a big big way!! You have to size up in order to have them fit. I ordered these after scouring the internet for a pair of Bean boots, when I found that they were backordered until April, I knew the next best quality boot was going to come from Sorel(I own 4 pairs of Sorel boots lol). I love wearing them with skinnies, and leggings. They are a perfect casual boot that with the right sock can be SO warm and cozy. These booties are only 100 bucks, and worth every penny.

Ahhh the boot that started it all. I fell in love with these boots two years ago and just had to have them! If you are a boot lover like me, then you already know how amazing these Sorels are. The wedge in these boots makes them supremely comfortable and sexy. They are waterproof and have great traction for snowy or slippery days. I literally wear them 5 days a week! I purchased another pair this year because I was wearing these so much. If you don’t own a pair, get them immediately! You will not regret it for a second I promise. These boots have been so coveted by the women that own them, that Sorel has expanded the line. They have a brand new beautiful spring collection coming out that features this wedge style boot. OBSESSED!!!

These babes are the newest edition to my boot family. I wanted a heeled bootie that I could wear with nicer stuff, that didn’t have such a rugged feel. These Vince Camuto boots fit the bill to a T. I had to size up a whole size, and I stretched them, I did the ziplock bag of water in the boot in the freezer trick, I found it on Pinterest of course. So it hasn’t been the easiest time getting these boots where I can really enjoy wearing them. But DAMN, they are fantastic looking, understated and so perfectly chic. The wooded heel gives them a nice contrast, and makes them perfect to wear into the spring. The best part? Currently they are less than 100 bucks!

This winter, I added the tan Sorel Joan of Arctic boot to my going collection. I love a beautiful tan boot, and as you may already know I have this thing for cream tops and sweaters. The tan boot co-ordinates perfectly with any lighter colored top that you can think up. I wear this boot nonstop and its always stunning. Added bonus I shopped amazon.com for these and got this pair for 50 dollars cheaper!

The elusive Frye boot, known for its supreme craftsmanship and quality this brand has created a loyal following that swears by its comfort and quality. I did my fair share of research on this boot prior to purchasing and I learned a few things about how to properly size this boot, and the breaking in process. I ordered my regular size in the “extended calf” according to Frye, the extended calf boot is 16.5 inches in circumference. What they don’t tell you is that the calf circumference increases with the size of the boot. I wear a size 10 the Veronica Slouch fits my 18 inch calves with ease. In the picture I used for this post, my boots had not been treated with water resistant wax. After I made them water resistant they dulled a bit (bummer). The Frye breaking in process is not an easy one, it took me roughly 10 hours to get my Frye boots comfortable, I started with just wearing tights, then thin socks, now I can wear a regular sock. The quality of these boots is astounding, they are beautiful and I do love owning them. As for wearing? They aren’t waterproof, so winter wear has been minimal. This fall I hope to break them out of the box weekly. Until them I can sit pretty in my truly waterproof boots.

For the past couple of weeks I have been on the hunt for a new black boot. Each year I update my boot collection in the Fall. I have this thing about boots, some fashionistas have a thing about purses, or nail polish, or expensive jeans. While I do love all of those things, for me its boots I just freaking LOVE boots. Over the years I have curated my tastes in a good boot specifically to leather all weather boots. I am really hard on my shoes, I always have been. That now translates into needing really good shoes, and a variety of them to share the workload. Thats at least what I tell my husband every time a new boot box comes through the door. Haha.

I have fabulous brown boots, I have fabulous snow boots, I have fabulous rain boots, I have fabulous wedge boots, I have fabulous riding boots, I have fabulous cowboy boots. My current black boot situation is not good, the pair from last year was not quality. So I am on the hunt. I want something rugged but subtle, not refined. I like a boot with buckles and a thick sole. I also need a wide calf. I want a leather boot, that is waterproof but not insulated(I have insulated boots already). With all of those specifications my pool of choices has become pretty small. I am sharing my options and the boots that I am picking from.

Being a curvy boot loving girl, I have to be careful to balance my whole appearance when wearing boot and skinnies. A rugged boot, with buckles and some slouch helps create a balance to your look.

The struggle is real when your photographer is out of town, that leaves me with my husband and shooting at night when my horses are already tucked into bed. I will be featuring this equestrian style on the blog again in November, a series is brewing featuring equestrian looks that work in the barn and running errands around town.

As a plus size equestrian I am always looking for comfortable riding clothes to flatter me in and out of the saddle. I want to feel confident and comfortable in the barn and at horse shows. I am excited to share Dublin Clothing with you, this brand is well known specifically for their fabulous boots but they are also have fantastic breeches (and many other beautiful products).

I am here to talk about their breeches today. Specifically Dublin Active Shapely Euro Seat Knee Patch Breeches. I think we can all agree that EVERYONE no matter your size loves cute pants, and these beauties do not disappoint. But for the curvier rider, there are a few more important points to note when shopping for riding pants. I want to feel secure, I love my body and I want to feel like everything is right where it needs to be. I want my pants to fit in my boots, whether its some cowboy boots under my chaps(YES I wear breeches under my chaps, get over it). Or slipping my foot into my riding boot for an afternoon in the saddle. I don’t want pulling, I don’t want ankle restriction I am looking for freedom of movement so I can drop my heel and push my mare the way she needs it. These breeches allowed freedom of movement in my ankle and knee.

Added bonus, is no gapping in the seat, re-enforced tummy area and a strong fabric that is going to keep my cellulite hidden, because I am a real girl that has real dumb cellulite. I was able to find all of that in these breeches. Confidence is key, these shapely breeches give you everything the curvy rider could want. Everything that you have been searching for. Great fit, fabric and quality these breeches have it all.

This is Cocoa’s Chaos, my project horse and just an all around goof ball. He has the roots to make him great, I just need to finish him.

I have all natural Tennessee Walking Horses, I compete with these animals on multiple circuits across the country. In the fall and winter they are my pets. I am an advocate for the sound horse movement, and I am staunchly against the abuse practices that run rampant through the Walking horse community.

I have yet to really post on Curls and Contours about my Equestrian life. This post is long overdue for multiple reasons, one being that so much of my personal style stems from my equestrian roots, and two riding is a HUGE part of my life. I spend my days in three versions of the same outfit. Mornings I can be seen running around in leggings and sneakers, afternoons I can be seen in skinnies and a cute top, and evenings I have on boots, breeches or jeans and a barn top.

I am blessed to have three beautiful horses in my life. All of them like people bring something different to the table. I have the youngster who is bred for greatness but is still a work in progress, the people pleaser who is just happy to be where you are, and the beautiful bay mare who runs the whole operation and is as much of a princess as I am. I am beyond blessed to have these beautiful creatures in my life, and I am lucky to call them teammates in competition.

Fall is my favorite season for riding, so look forward to more posts on C&C on my Equestrian life!

This weekend the weather was TERRIBLE. Rainy, cold, drizzly, and yuck! BUT we had a mission, we had to get our pumpkins out of the garden before they would begin to rot on the vine. So we made a plan to harvest the 9 beautiful pumpkins that were grown in our backyard. It was so much fun, we had our 4 year old niece over to help us get them, and so she could pick one to take home and keep for Halloween.

This time of year is especially significant to Keith and I, we were married 5 years ago this October. Our wedding theme was Glamorous Fall, and it was beautiful and perfect. We were married before Pinterest existed so I consider myself lucky. My wedding day was perfect and free from the pressure of the perfect Pinterest bride. I never felt the pressure to DIY the shit out of my wedding day. I was a Bride that had to buy ACTUAL wedding books and talk to designers and florists about ideas and designs. I will share my day someday.

We had a blast harvesting our pumpkins and decorating the porch, we followed up this chilly afternoon with Hocus Pocus, and easy baked apples.

My jacket is vintage, but this southwestern look is really popular right now. Here are a few options to recreate this look without having to search through thrift shops and flea markets.

AND HAVE YOU SEEN MY BOOTS! So amazing, waterproof, stylish, they fit my curvaceous calves! I wear them all the time, from the barn to mall. These boots never miss a beat! The best part is that the “Equestrian” style of dress has gone mainstream, so even if you don’t ride these babes will be perfectly on trend.

Finally home from a fun week in middle Tennessee, we(my Mom, Grandmother and myself)were able to see some beautiful horses, eat great food, and explore the city of Murfreesboro TN. We came to this city to show horses and little did we know there was a National park sitting right under our noses.

I feel like we should get some horsey stuff out of the way before we dig into this great learning experience.

My Mom/Bestie and I have two Tennessee Walking Horses that we show across the Midwest and South. We love our two horses and we love to train and compete together. Each year we travel to middle Tennessee to a big championship horse show for a week. We ride everyday, compete against amazing horses and just in general have what is known as a “Showcation” (horse show vacation).

Callie and I before a class, I FREAKING LOVE my new show top!!!

This year we switched it up a bit and decided to try and explore a little more, instead of being so focused on our horses that we don’t get to experience the area.

With this new adventurous spirit in mind, I pushed to go driving around and see some sights. That is when we stumbled across this rich piece of American history I didn’t even know existed where we were showing horses.

This National Battlefield memorializes the battle that took place during the American Civil war on December 31, 1862. What an unbelievable place.

The National Parks service has turned this historic piece of land into a park for people to enjoy, there were miles of beautiful groomed trails to enjoy

Lets talk what I wore on this little adventure.

When it is HOT AS HELL out and I know I am going to be hiking around and exploring, I go for clothing that is going to keep me cool, be functional, and be cute.

Temperature Factor, skort and a t-shirt and sandals, I am good to go!

Functionality is the back bone of this look, my chacos are keeping me cool and the thick sole is protecting my feet. A cross body bag makes it so that I am hands free, AND added bonus this is a bag that is cloth so if it does get dirty I can just wash it. My skort is accommodating to my bigger hips, but has added coverage and support with the shorts that are hidden underneath. Just a basic t-shirt that I am not going to baby rounds out this look nicely. Of course I am going to have my favorite sunnies and a big ol watch for some added sass.

Cute factor- My t-shirt is fitted but not tight so that it is breathable but still figure flattering, and my it says “Damn it feels good to be a Michigangster.” Its fun, it represents me well and the coloring is very flattering for my skin tone. Ray-Bans are always on trend, and my Vera bag is a standout as a trendy piece as well.

WOW has C&C gone dark the last couple of days, I am currently blogging remotely from The Miller Collesium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Where my Mother and I are competing at the WHOA International Championships with our two horses. I have been trying to keep my Instagram up to date, but blogging from the road is challenging. Remember still a newbie!

In terms of style this week, its a common thing for me to be in skinnies, my Dublin’s and a t-shirt (in fact that is what I am wearing right now as I type this post). We have been able to leave the horse show to go exploring and that has been a total treat. I was able to find a great piece of horsey artwork for my blogger room(I am keeping that one a secret until the big reveal), and get a couple new things for Callie(you know the horse).

Ladies, the weather in the South is HOT AS HELL! OMG I have been melting, I suspected this would be the case so I packed only my super light summer favorites. I have pulled my favorite summer Maxi from Loft out twice and worn it.

We have been eating like Queens this week, and our favorite little cafe was open with home made goodies for lunch. Millers Grocery is an absolute treat!

Seriously this little cafe was so fun, and quaint. I had sweet tea and chicken salad, with peach cobbler for dessert.

This porch was so adorable. The bright colors and lush grass made it a amateur photographers dream(thats me).

Keep a close eye on my Instagram Curlsandcontours for more on my horse show adventures this week!

Hey babe, welcome to Curls and Contours. This is the blog for the curvy girl that wants it all, thats me and if you are here then that is you too! In this space you will find lots of glam, lots of black dresses(I have a love affair with black dresses), and lots of inspiration.